Ocypus (Pseudocypus) neocles, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Contributions to the knowledge of the “ Staphylinus-complex ” (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part XX. The genus Ocypus Leach, 1819, subgenus Pseudocypus Mulsant & Rey, 1876. Section 1, Zootaxa 1421, pp. 1-72 : 28-29

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) neocles sp. nov.

(Figs. 95–102)

Type material. Holotype (male) and allotype (female): CHINA: Shaanxi: “CHINA: Shaanxi , 65 km S Xi’an, 2200–2500m 2–10.VIII.1998 P.F. Cavazzuti ” ( ASC).

Paratypes: CHINA: Shaanxi: same data as holotype, 8 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀ ( ASC) ; Qinling Shan, Taibaishan Range, Houzhenzi env., 1900 m, 33°53'N 107°49'E, 1.– 12.8.1999, Siniaev & Plutenko leg., 8 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ ( ASC, MSC); (Qinling Shan) , Taibashan mt. Houzhenzi, 1500–2000 m, 33°52'N 107°44'E, V.–VI. 2000, Plutenko, 4 ♂♂, ♀ ( ASC, MSC) ; Qinling Shan, pass rd. Zhouzhi–Foping , 105 km SW Xi’an, N slope, 1990 m 33°44N 107°59'E, 2.–4.VII. 2001, A. Smetana [C90], 4 ♂♂, ♀ ( ASC) ; same data, but Wrase (01), 2 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ ( ASC, MSC) ; Qin Ling range. Taibaishan mount 3200 m 12. VI. 1999, ♂, ♀ ( YSC) .

Diagnosis. A small species with rufobrunneous to piceous legs, short antennae, moderately microsetose pronotal hypomeron, with visible tergites 4 and 5 each with golden-yellowish, not dense, tomentose pubescence covering almost entire tergite, and with small, characteristically shaped aedoeagus (Figs. 97–98).

Description. Piceous-black to black, moderately dull, apical margins of abdominal tergites and apex of abdomen indistinctly paler in some specimens; maxillary and labial palpi testaceobrunneous; antennae piceous, with bases of first three segments paler, becoming gradually vaguely paler toward apex; legs rufobrunneous to piceous with slightly paler front tarsi; pubescence of dorsal side of body piceous-black to black, visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 each with golden-yellowish, not dense, tomentose pubescence covering almost entire tergite. Head of rounded quadrangular shape, with rounded posterior angles, wider than long (ratio 1.22), eyes small and rather flat, tempora considerably longer than eyes from above (ratio 2.0), dorsal surface of head finely and densely punctate and pubescent, interspaces between punctures on disc about as large as diameters of punctures, punctation gradually becoming slightly denser and coarser toward posterior and lateral margins; rudimentary, vague, impunctate midline present on posterior half of head; interspaces between punctures with fine submeshed microsculpture. Gular sutures narrowly separated in midsection, gula dilated both anteriad and posteriad; postgenae moderately densely punctate, interspaces between punctures near gular sutures about as large as diameters of punctures. Dorsal side of neck with punctation similar to that on head. Antenna short, segment 3 about as long as segment 2, segments 4 to 7 longer than wide, becoming gradually shorter, outer segments about as long as wide to vaguely wider than long, last segment shorter than two preceding segments combined. Pronotum vaguely longer than wide (ratio 1.1), almost parallelsided, narrow marginal groove disappearing downwards at about anterior third of pronotal length; disc with entire, narrow impunctate midline; punctation on disc about same as that on disc of head, pubescence and microsculpture on interspaces between punctures similar to that on head. Pronotal hypomeron moderately microsetose. Scutellum finely punctate and setose, surface with very fine, rudimentary submeshed microsculpture. Elytra quite short, distinctly depressed at base, vaguely dilated posteriad, at suture considerably (ratio 0. 59), at sides distinctly (ratio 0.78) shorter than pronotum at midline; punctation fine and dense, difficult to observe among dense granulose microsculpture. Wings each reduced to minute, nonfunctional stump. Abdomen with fifth visible tergite lacking pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) entirely, densely and finely punctate and pubescent; all tergites evenly, finely and densely punctate, puctation gradually becoming slightly sparser toward apex of abdomen; interspaces with fine, dense microsculpture of irregular, short striae.

Male. Sternite 8 with moderately wide and deep, obtusely triangular medioapical emargination. Genital segment with sternite 9 with long, tapered basal portion located centrally, apex of sternite subtruncate (Fig. 95) to obtusely rounded. Tergite 10 evenly, markedly narrowed toward narrowly arcuate apex, sparingly setose, apical portion strongly sclerotized (Fig. 96). Aedoeagus small, shaped as in Figs. 97–101; median lobe with apical portion slightly asymmetrical, apex obtuse to subruncate, shaped as in Fig. 98; paramere situated on median lobe markedly asymmetrically, with fine carina on face away from paramere, shaped as in Figs. 97, 99, 100, apex almost reaching apex of median lobe; sensory peg setae on underside of paramere forming a small field below apex of paramere, more or less extended posteriad along left margin; apical setae fine to minute, situated as in Fig. 101.

Female. Tergite 10 of genital segment markedly narrowed toward slightly differentiated apical portion with acute apex, with long setae on apical portion, otherwise sparingly setose with short setae, apical portion strongly sclerotized (Fig. 102).

Length 11.0–14.0 mm.

Bionomics. The specimens of the original series come from pitfall traps, but nothing is known about the habitat the traps were set in.

Geographical distribution. Ocypus neocles is at present known only from Qin Ling Shan in the province of Shaanxi.

Recognition and comments. The specimens of Ocypus neocles with rufobrunneous legs are the only ones with golden-yellowish tomentose pubescence on visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 and microsetose pronotal hypomeron. The dark-legged specimens are similar to O. puer , but specimens of the latter species differ in some details in the shape of the aedoeagus, and in some external characters (see under O. puer for details). Specimens of O. rhinton , a species that occurs in some localities together with O. neocles , that have the same type of the golden-yellowish tomentose spots on visible tergites 4 and 5, differ by the characteristically shaped apex of median lobe of the aedoeagus, which is emarginate in the middle (Fig. 111), and by some additional external characters (see under O. rhinton for details).

The holotype and allotype are specimens with rufobrunneous legs and with the golden-yellow tomentose pubescence on abdominal tergites well preserved (see below). The specimens of the original series taken at the locality 65km S Xi’an were obviously exposed too long (8 days) to the fluids in the pitfall traps and, as a consequence, many of them lost to variable extent the pubescence of the body, as well as parts, or entire apppendages. In specimens with extensive damage to the pubescence, the golden-yellow tomentose pubescence on visible abdominal tergites 4 and 5 is almost, or entirely, gone along with the regular pubescence.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the name of Neocles, - is, m, the father of Themistocles , in apposition.